An Army helicopter has crashed in Tamil Nadu. MI-17V5 helicopter crashed between Coimbatore and Sulur. Chief of Defense Staff Bipin Rawat was on-board the military chopper. The helicopter crashed in a forest area.
An inquiry into the incident has been ordered by the Army. Former Minister of State for Defense Subhash Bhamre informed that CDS Bipin Rawat was admitted to the hospital. No official information about his condition has been released yet. There were 14 people in the helicopter at the time of the accident. Bipin Rawat's wife Madhulika Rawat was with him. Eleven people were killed and three others were seriously injured in the accident, PTI sources said.
The MI-17V5 helicopter used by the Army is considered very safe. This Russian-made chopper has two engines. This aircraft is used for VIP travel. Many protocols are fulfilled before a VIP can take off from an aircraft. Aircraft maintenance, weather is often checked. However, the question is being raised as to what exactly is the cause of this accident.
Meanwhile, according to preliminary information, Bipin Rawat was going to an event in Wellington with his wife. He was accompanied by senior army officers. There is an Army College in Wellington. CDS Bipin Rawat's lecture was planned in this college. Eucalyptus forest near Ooty Coonoor is a very dense forest. The helicopter crashed in this forest. After the helicopter crashed, flames started appearing in the area. The two states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are bordered by eucalyptus forests.